1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a spring band clamp block consisting of a plurality of spring band clamps, the spring band clamps having a spring band and two projecting tensioning ends.
2. Description of Related Art
Spring band clamps have been known for years in various embodiments (see, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,773,129 and 4,930,192). With these spring band clamps, for example, a pressure-tight seat of hose ends on the pipe unions of the cooling system of a motor vehicle engine is ensured. These spring band clamps in the untensioned statexe2x80x94clamping statexe2x80x94have a certain inside diameter and can be spread to a much greater diameter using a tensioning tool which engages the tensioning ends against the spring force of the spring bandxe2x80x94the spread state in which the spring band clamp then has an inside diameter which is greater than the outside diameter of the hose end, and thus, can be easily moved over the hose end which can be turned onto one pipe union as far as the respective installation site. The pressure-tight seat of one hose end on the pipe union is, on the one hand, ensured by the inherent elasticity of the hose end itself, and on the other hand, by the spring force of the spring band clamp, i.e., of the spring band of the spring band clamp.
The spring band clamps are produced in different sizes and versions in large numbers and are used especially in the motor vehicle industry in especially large numbers, being supplied by manufacturers to the motor vehicle industry in cartons of, for example, 50, 100 or 500. The installer then takes each individual spring band clamp from the carton as needed, spreads the spring band clamp with a corresponding installation tool and carries the spring band clamp in this way to the respective installation site. Since this process is repeated hundreds of times a day, it is desirable to make the individual spring band clamps available such that the installer can grasp them as directly as possible with the corresponding installation tool. To do this, holding devices are produced onto which a certain number of spring band clamps can be slippedxe2x80x94the spring band clamps can therefore be more or less magazined so that the spring band clamps can then be grasped by the installer directly with the installation tool from a pre-defined position. The disadvantage here is that, on the one hand, time necessary for magazining, and on the other hand, for different spring band clamps, especially for spring band clamps with different diameters, different holding devices are needed.
An object of the invention is to join several spring band clamps to one another in a severable manner, i.e., to magazine them or make them available in the form of a spring band clamp block, such that it is possible to provide the individual spring band clamps in a position which is as favorable as possible for installation.
The aforementioned object is achieved, first of all, essentially in that the spring band clamps are detachably joined to one another by a fastener.
The use of a fastener which detachably joins the individual spring band clamps to one another in accordance with the invention especially easily, economically, and thus, effectively accomplishes magazining of spring band clamps, i.e., forms a spring band clamp block so that a host of spring band clamps can be made available to the installer all at once in a position as optimum as possible for installation.
In particular, there are various possibilities for building the fastener for the spring band clamp block according to the invention.
In the first preferred embodiment of the spring band clamp block in accordance with the invention, at least one adhesive strip is used as the fastener. Preferably however, there are two adhesive strips and the adhesive strips are located lengthwise to the axis of the spring band clamps on the spring band. Because the adhesive strips are located at a distance from each other, preferably in the vicinity of the projecting tensioning ends, when using adhesive strips of an inherently very flexible material, a very stable and torsionally-stiff spring band clamp block is achieved. The spring band clamp block according to the invention can, moreover, be built independently of the embodiment and the diameter of the individual spring band clamps with minimum cost. The stability of the spring band clamp block is then especially great when, if two adhesive strips are used, they are located offset by roughly 180xc2x0 relative to one another on the spring band. This arrangement of the adhesive strips prevents unintentional tilting of the spring band clamp block apart transversely to its lengthwise axis; this would occur if only one single adhesive strip were used or two adhesive strips directly next to one another were used.
To separate the individual spring band clamps from the spring band clamp block, i.e., to detach the individual spring band clamps from the adhesive strips, it is advantageous if the adhesive strip or strips projects or project on one side beyond the end of the spring band clamp block. Then, the adhesive strip or strips can be easily withdrawn from the spring band clamp block by an installer after the spring band clamp block has been inserted into a corresponding holding device. Alternatively or additionally to the aforementioned measure, the adhesive strip or strips can be perforated in the transition area between two spring band clamps transversely to the lengthwise direction of the adhesive strip. In this way, it is then possible to detach an individual spring band clamp from a spring band clamp block without the need to withdraw the adhesive strips or strips completely from the block of spring band clamps. This is advantageous when the spring band clamp block is not set in a corresponding holding device or receiver which is designed to prevent the individual spring band clamps from falling apart after the adhesive strip is removed from the spring band clamp block. When using a perforated adhesive strip or strips, individual spring band clamps can be detached from the spring band clamp block without the remaining spring band clamps falling apart.
Embodiments of the spring band clamp block in accordance with the invention have been described which share, in particular, the fact that there is at least one adhesive strip as the fastener. However, there are also various other possibilities for embodying the fastener of the spring band clamp block according to the invention.
One embodiment of the spring band clamp block in accordance with the invention which is fundamentally different from the above described embodiments has as the fastener, a connecting clip which joins the individual spring band clamps to one another and which can preferably be made like a comb.
In still other embodiments of a spring band clamp block according to the invention, as the fastener, there is an adhesive between the individual spring band clamps which joins the latter to one another.
In particular, there are now a host of possibilities for embodying the spring band clamp block in accordance with the invention, especially the exact arrangement and dimensions of the adhesive strips.
The invention is explained below using three preferred embodiments shown by the drawings.